Apparatus for electroplating



APPARATUS FOR ELEGTRUPLATING.

Patented Oct. 18, 1892.

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P1 H. HOWARD.

APBARATUS FOR BLBGTRGPLATING. 180,484,535. Patented Oct. 18, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK H. HOWARD, OF IRVINGTON, NEV JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR ELECTROPLATING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 484,535, dated October 18, 1892.

Application filed August 13, 1890. Serial No. 361,899. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. HovvAED,a citizen of the United States,residing at Irving- Y ton, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electroplating Machines; andldoherebydeclare thefollowingtobeafull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improve- .ments in that class 0f plating apparatus in which the articles undergoing the plating operation are tumbled or kept constantly in motion while the metal is being deposited thereon by electro-deposition.

The object of the invention is to reduce the cost of constructing such machines, to render the same more convenient when in practical use, to securea more uniform and perfect deposition of the plated metal, to facilitate the process of depositing and obtaining a nished result, and to secure other advantages and results, some of which Will be hereinafter set forth in connection with the description of the working parts.

The invention consists in the improved plating-machine and in the arrangements and combinations of parts of the same and inthe process of plating, substantially as will be hereinafter described, and finally embodied in the clauses of the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters indicate corresponding parts in each of the several figures, Figure l is a side view of the improved machine. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line ac, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is adetail view of a certain plating drum or receptacle for the articles to be plated. Fig. 5 is an end view of the same, and Fig. 6 is a sectional vieW taken on the line y and showing a certain inner cylinder which may be employed.

In the drawings, a indicates an open vat or tank of any suitable construction adapted to 5o contain the electrolytic Huid or solution.

b b are anodes, which are of nickel when the machine is employed in nickel-plating. These are suspended in the solution in any ordinary manner and by any of the means '5 5 ordinarily employed in the art of electro-deposition. From these said anodes the metal is transported to the article or articles to be plated, which serves as the cathode. The said anodes b b are preferably suspended from 6o metallic supporting-bars c c, which latter rest on or are held to the edges of the tank, as indicated in Fig. 2.

Within the tank is arrangeda plating-drum CZ or a revolving receptacle for the articles to be plated. Said receptacle is entirely submerged beneath the electrolytic fluid, so that the articles therein will always remain thereunder, and is supported on hangers or metallic bearings cl,which are preferablysuspended 7o from cross-bars d, extending to and fastened at the edges 0f the tank. The hangers are hooked at their upper ends to engage the supporting cross rods or bars, and thus are readily removable from said rods or bars; because of this construction the hangers maybe readily raised from the rods or bars d, and with them the drum, and be placed immediately afterward in a cleansing solution; or before the drum is placed in the electrolytic 8o solution the said drum and its contents may be placed in an alkaline bath to remove grease and oil from the articles to be plated prior to plating, and then into position in the said electrolytic solution. While I prefer the hooks and cross-bars d to admit of ready and convenient interchangeability, I do not wish to limit myself thereto. The drum being submerged entirely in the electrolytic solution under ordinary circum- 9o stances, the hangers suspended on the crossbars cl extend above said solution, and thus serve as handles, by means of which the operator may raise the drum out of the solution without thrusting his hands into the liquid. The said drum or receptacle is open to allow a free How or circulation of the plating solution therethrough, being preferably of wire cloth or fabric. It is provided with an opening for the passage of articles to and from the receptacle and a door for shutter for closing said opening. At one end the said receptacle is provided with a large toothed gear-wheel g, which meshes with a pinion h on the driving-shaft c', eX- tending from the tank, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. On said shaft 'L' is arranged a suitable belt wheel or pulley j, by means of which power is communicated to the said drivingshaft from any suitable source of power. I prefer to so arrange the gear-Wheels and pulleys as that the drum or receptacle will slowly revolve after the manner of a tumbling-barrel,the preferred speed being about one revolution in two minutes. The plating-machine is connected by suitable conductors l with a dynamo-electric machine o, the course of the electric current being indicated by arrows in Fig. 2. From the said dynamo-electric machine the current passes lover the main line and branches Z to the bars or rods c c, and from thence to the anodesb b. From these it passes through the electrolytic solution to the cathode d, consisting of the revolving barrel or drum and its metallic contents, on which the metal is deposited. The metal may be removed from said drum from time to time in any suitable manner. From the drum and its contents the current passes through the shaft t', and bearin gs d and cl2 to the metal-conducting strips d3 and resting on the edge of the tank, but insulated from the bars c. From the said strips it passes over the portion Z of the circuit-Wire Z to the dynamo-electric machine, as will be clearly understood.

To secure a more perfect and constant contact of the articles to be plated with the metal circuit-conductors or with the metal cage or drum therein, I prefer to insert a metal device within the cage or drum to prevent the articles from remaining in ixed relation to one another as they revolve in said cage, drum, or receptacle. This may be a rod, bar, or cylinder fm, extending through the cylinder, as shown in Fig. 6; but I prefer, ordinarily, to insert in the receptacle d a loose irregular mass of wire, through the interstices or openings in which metal articles tumble as the receptacle slowly revolves. The articles are thus constantly changed in their relations to one another and to the conductors and are prevented from hugging to one another and together moving in the cylinder, and yet they maintain a perfect electrical contact, and at the same time are tumbled, and any dirt or other matter tending to interfere with a proper deposition of metal is removed, so that an even and perfect plate is secured and a polish is maintained which largely reduces the polishing which is ordinarily given after the plating process is eected. Thus the polishing or tumbling and plating processes are carried on simultaneously by automatic means.

I am aware that various changes may be made in the construction and arrangements of the various parts of the device, and I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact construction shown in the drawings.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is- 1. The improved electroplating apparatus herein described, combining therein a tank adapted to contain the electrolytic solution, suitable anodes suspended therein, and a removable open-work drum serving, with its contents, as cathode and revolubly arranged below the edge of the tank, so as to be entirely submerged in the said electrolytic solution, and provided with handles which project upward out from the electrolytic solution, whereby said handles may be grasped by the hand and the said drum elevated from said tank and solution Without bringing the hands in contact with said solution, kmeans for electrically connecting said anodes and cathodes, and means for revolving said drum, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of a tank, metallic cross-bars serving as supports for the drum and as conductors of electricity, hangers suspended from said cross-bars and providing bearings for the drum, the said hangers being removable from the cross-bars with the drum, a drum arranged to turn in said bearings, means for turning said drum, anodes suspended in said tank, and an electric circuit including the said anodes and drum, all substantially as herein set forth.

3. The combination of a tank, bars d, serving as conductors of electricity and snpports for the hangers, hangers d', suspended from said bars, a drum carried by said hangers, and a gear-Wheel g, arranged at one end of said drum, a pinion h on driving-shaft t', said shaft and means for operating the same, anodes b, suspended in said tank, suitable conducting-wires, and means for furnishing an electric current in circuit with said drum and anodes, substantially as set forth and shown.

4. In combination with the tank a, supports c, having anodes b suspended therefrom into said tank, supports d, hangers in contact with said supports cl and removable therefrom, a revoluble open-Work drum journaled in said hangers and removable from said tank with said hangers, a dynamoelectric machine, and electrical connections with said drum and anodes, all arranged,

and adapted to operate substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of a tank, bars d, serving as conductors of electricity and as supports or holding devices for the hangers,

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hooked metallic hangers d', suspended from said bars and provided with journal-bearings, a revoluble open-Work drum Working in said bearings and means for operating the same, a dynamo-machine, and metallic connections uniting in onecirouit the said drum, dynamo-machine, anodes, and said holding devices, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of :o August, 1890.

FRANK H. HOWARD.

Witnesses:

CHARLES H. PELL, OSCAR A. MICHEL. 

